Learn from tragedies

IN the wake of yet another stampede in the country — at Hathras this time, where over 120 lives were tragically lost during a religious congregation — the spotlight falls on the sad fact that we rarely learn from past mistakes. Such tragedies are usually followed by a knee-jerk reaction comprising a patch-up job — thereafter, it’s business as usual. Till another tragedy strikes. The urgency of bringing into effect stringent long-term measures and proactive planning to prevent such avoidable disasters is missing in our policies. A case in point is the 2008 Naina Devi temple stampede, in which the lives of 146 devotees were lost due to panic triggered by the rumour of a landslide. It led to some improvements in crowd control, with the implementation of batch-wise movement of pilgrims and enhanced facilities for their comfort and safety. However, all is not hunky-dory as certain other recommendations made by the committee set up for the purpose then have either not been implemented, or are a work in progress even 16 years down the line.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with families of some Hathras victims and his call for timely and substantial compensation highlight two crucial aspects of leadership in times of crisis — empathy and accountability. Regardless of political affiliations, the demand for a thorough investigation into the lapses by the administration is a necessary step towards ensuring justice and preventing similar mishaps.

The authorities must adopt robust crowd management strategies, including adherence to venue capacity limits, effective emergency response plans, adequate deployment of security and medical personnel and real-time monitoring through CCTV cameras and effective communication channels. We owe it to the victims of stampedes that their deaths are not in vain but rather catalysts for lasting improvements in crowd safety protocols nationwide.